Stadium

[jasonxctf]

So a 2 part question and would love to get folks thoughts on this.

 

Will US Cellular undergo a name change? If so, when? I know that you can no longer acquire US Cellular products in Chicagoland, which makes the naming rights silly.

 

Believe it or not, US Cellular is the 9th oldest stadium in all of baseball. Hard to believe its been 23 years all ready. How long do you think this stadium lasts before they knock it down/rebuild. Yes you have Wrigley and Fenway from the early 1910's, but after that the next oldest is Dodgers Stadium from 1962. Does US Cellular last another 30 years... 10 years??

[southsider2k5]

So a 2 part question and would love to get folks thoughts on this.

 

Will US Cellular undergo a name change? If so, when? I know that you can no longer acquire US Cellular products in Chicagoland, which makes the naming rights silly.

 

Believe it or not, US Cellular is the 9th oldest stadium in all of baseball. Hard to believe its been 23 years all ready. How long do you think this stadium lasts before they knock it down/rebuild. Yes you have Wrigley and Fenway from the early 1910's, but after that the next oldest is Dodgers Stadium from 1962. Does US Cellular last another 30 years... 10 years??

 

The naming deal runs through 2023.

[cabiness42]

Is there any land left in the South Loop area that could be used for a new stadium?

[Buehrle>Wood]

I'm fairly confident the name will be changed this coming off season

[southsider2k5]

Is there any land left in the South Loop area that could be used for a new stadium?

 

They have a whole s***load of land they got for the Olympics.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Is there any land left in the South Loop area that could be used for a new stadium?

Off of Wells and Harrison?

[southsider2k5]

Off of Wells and Harrison?

 

Just south of the Congress Expr? I don't think there would nearly enough land there.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Just south of the Congress Expr? I don't think there would nearly enough land there.

I was thinking like from Van Buren and south to Polk. Would require some major infrastructure redoing (as would any move). But right off expressway, rock island, and all loop ctas. Probably not feasible just throwing stuff out there to get as close to downtown as possible. Sears Tower overlooking center field would be badass.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Buehrle>Wood

[southsider2k5]

I was thinking like from Van Buren and south to Polk. Would require some major infrastructure redoing (as would any move). But right off expressway, rock island, and all loop ctas. Probably not feasible just throwing stuff out there to get as close to downtown as possible. Sears Tower overlooking center field would be badass.

 

If they could figure out a way to take out the old post office, but leave that footprint, that might work.

[Sox Pride 22]

If they could figure out a way to take out the old post office, but leave that footprint, that might work.

 

That isn't going to work. Someone owns the property and is planning on redeveloping it (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-06-18/business/chi-old-main-post-office-20140618_1_old-main-post-office-cold-storage-building-developer). The main reason that the building has gone untouched for so long is because of the amount of asbestos within and the costs to remove it.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Off of Wells and Harrison?

 

Yes plz. I've brought up this location many a times. I worked, often visit, and am trying to get back into, River City Condos on Wells and think there's a real good spot there on the other side of the Roosevelt bridge.

 

 

[Dick Allen]

Unless the White Sox get sold to someone who is willing to basically finance their own stadium, I doubt the state of IL is going to be in a position to foot the bill on another and give a team making millions another sweetheart lease anytime soon.

 

So while we can dream where to build a new one, the chances of it happening in the next 25 years is probably really slim.

[Jose Abreu]

It would be cool to have a stadium like PNC Park with some tall buildings like the Sears Tower in the background, not some cheap apartment building behind the RCF fence like at The Cell. That being said, I don't think we're moving out of our stadium anytime soon.

[cabiness42]

Yes plz. I've brought up this location many a times. I worked, often visit, and am trying to get back into, River City Condos on Wells and think there's a real good spot there on the other side of the Roosevelt bridge.

 

OK, I'm looking at Google Maps right now. I see the spot on the SW corner of Harrison/Wells, and it's big enough for a stadium but with very little room for parking. Sox aren't going to give up all that parking revenue they are getting now.

 

The spot on the SW corner of Roosevelt/Clark is much bigger, and also only one block from the Red/Green/Orange lines.

[southsider2k5]

Our best chances for a near downtown park on just south of McCormick place with all of the land the City got for the Olympics. I don't think there is enough anywhere else that wouldn't be a huge pain (ie expense) to use.

[Quin]

If this was before the renovations started, I'd agree, but since they started renovating it the stadium is a really nice place. If only we could just rotate it to have the skyline in the background.

[southsider2k5]

Speaking of Google maps... The bottom highlight is the footprint of the current park and parking. The eastern one of the area south of McCormick place that includes the former Reese Hosptial site, and some of the McCormick parking, and the park in the south loop that has been referred to.

 

 

 

[greg775]

Unless the White Sox get sold to someone who is willing to basically finance their own stadium, I doubt the state of IL is going to be in a position to foot the bill on another and give a team making millions another sweetheart lease anytime soon.

 

So while we can dream where to build a new one, the chances of it happening in the next 25 years is probably really slim.

 

No owner is going to build his own new stadium. And the state is not ever going to finance a new stadium again. So the Cell will remain forever with upgrades possible. And, yes, think of all that money they'll continue to make on parking for years to come. They'll never, ever risk losing that money. If the Sox ever threaten to move again I think the state would let them move.

Edited September 12, 2014 by greg775

[Dick Allen]

No owner is going to build his own new stadium. And the state is not ever going to finance a new stadium again. So the Cell will remain forever with upgrades possible. And, yes, think of all that money they'll continue to make on parking for years to come. They'll never, ever risk losing that money. If the Sox ever threaten to move again I think the state would let them move.

I think you are right. I also think it wouldn't be long before another team moved to Chicago in the AL. As badly as they have played the last couple of years, as much as attendance has dropped, they are still middle of the pack in revenue. The American League doesn't want to abandon this market.

 

If the Sox moved tomorrow, is there anyone who doesn't thinkthe A's wouldn't mind taking their place in Chicago? In fact, back when Bill Veeck saved the Sox, the rumor was Finley would have moved the A's back then.

[greg775]

I think you are right. I also think it wouldn't be long before another team moved to Chicago in the AL. As badly as they have played the last couple of years, as much as attendance has dropped, they are still middle of the pack in revenue. The American League doesn't want to abandon this market.

 

If the Sox moved tomorrow, is there anyone who doesn't thinkthe A's wouldn't mind taking their place in Chicago? In fact, back when Bill Veeck saved the Sox, the rumor was Finley would have moved the A's back then.

 

I don't think the current Sox owners or future Sox owners would ever move. I'm just saying if they used the old threats about "we'll move if you don't build us a new stadium," to the state, the state would say, "Go ahead and move," this time. So I don't think the team would ever go there. The beloved Cubs (sarcasm) will remain in town forever and the state would play its cards and say, "We've still got the Cubs." Sox won't win any future scaredown over stadium issues cause of the horrific economy.

[2nd_city_saint787]

OK, I'm looking at Google Maps right now. I see the spot on the SW corner of Harrison/Wells, and it's big enough for a stadium but with very little room for parking. Sox aren't going to give up all that parking revenue they are getting now.

 

The spot on the SW corner of Roosevelt/Clark is much bigger, and also only one block from the Red/Green/Orange lines.

 

Yup, that's where I was referring to. Should be plenty of room for parking from River City on down that way is pretty much all vacant on one side of the street sans 1 parking lot that could probably be bought out..

 

All that said I doubt they move anytime soon, but if they did it'd be a prime spot with the possibility of having the Sears Tower and downtown in the background.

[ewokpelts]

So a 2 part question and would love to get folks thoughts on this.

 

Will US Cellular undergo a name change? If so, when? I know that you can no longer acquire US Cellular products in Chicagoland, which makes the naming rights silly.

 

Believe it or not, US Cellular is the 9th oldest stadium in all of baseball. Hard to believe its been 23 years all ready. How long do you think this stadium lasts before they knock it down/rebuild. Yes you have Wrigley and Fenway from the early 1910's, but after that the next oldest is Dodgers Stadium from 1962. Does US Cellular last another 30 years... 10 years??

From what I was told, US Cellular currently has NO plans to drop the name from the park. I also was told there's a certain contractual issues that make it hard to do even if USC wanted out.

 

As for the lifespan of the stadium, the sox are signed to a lease that expires in 2029. It was extended from the original 20 year lease that would have expired in 2011.

[ewokpelts]

They have a whole s***load of land they got for the Olympics.

The city bought NO land "or the olympics"

[ewokpelts]

Speaking of Google maps... The bottom highlight is the footprint of the current park and parking. The eastern one of the area south of McCormick place that includes the former Reese Hosptial site, and some of the McCormick parking, and the park in the south loop that has been referred to.

 

The clark street site that everyone love is nonviable. The ONLY way to get to that parcel of land is off roosevelt. the railroad lines abut clark street. the traffic at that site would be a nuclear disaster. it's too far to walk from the trains, and the ryan traffic at roosevelt any time from 5am-9pm is a war zone.

[southsider2k5]

The city bought NO land "or the olympics"

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Reese_Hospital

 

Planned use for 2016 Olympics

 

The Chicago 2016 Olympic organizing committee had advocated a plan to construct the Olympic Village on the Michael Reese site as a reuse project, should Chicago be awarded the Games.[14] The city had originally planned to build an Olympic Village above the truck yards south of McCormick Place, but focused their planning on the Michael Reese campus after the hospital announced its planned closure. Under the new plan, the City would borrow $85 million to buy the Michael Reese Hospital campus from its then owner, Medline Industries. Medline would have received $65 million because the company agreed to make a $20 million charitable contribution back to the city. The city would then have used that $20 million to pay up to five years of interest on its $85 million debt, demolish the hospital, and clean up the 37 acre site. Then sometime in the next couple years it planned to sell the site for at least $85 million to a developer or developers, who in turn would build a complex big enough to house about 15,000 Olympians. After the games the developer would then sell or rent out the units.[15] Instead, demolition and cleanup costs were projected at $32 million and rising; as a result Medline agreed to raise its charitable contribution to $32.5 million.[16] The site was purchased in early July 2009 for $86 million after Medline agreed to the changes in the contract. However, after Chicago's Olympic Bid failed, the Olympic Village plan was abandoned. The site is currently vacant, with the exception of one small remaining building, and is fenced off. Proposals have been circulating to use the site for the Barack Obama Presidential Library and Museum should the library be located in Chicago.